Readings: Exodus 34: 4b-6, 8-9; Daniel 3: 52-56; 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13; John 3: 16-18
Today the Church challenges us in a simple and yet mysterious way, as we are called to believe in the name of God. Exodus tells us that "having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there and proclaimed his name, "LORD," the great I Am! In today's Canticle, Daniel proclaims, "Blessed is [the Lord's] holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” St. Paul invokes God's name in three persons, greeting and praying for the Church saying, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." Finally, in today's Gospel of John, comes one the most familiar of all verses in Scripture, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son." But notice near the end of today's reading, that those who are not condemned, are those who believe in him, and believe in his name! Catholic author and speaker, Alice Camille wrote that, "Naming God is like trying to pinpoint a moving target... Any way we talk about God, we are talking about a presence that is quite more expansive and complex than our own." The names that we use to either identify or describe our loving God, are ultimately our best attempt to be connected to the God who believes in us, and desperately wants us to be in relationship with Him. With that said, and using the names that have been given to us... do you believe in the name of God the Father and our Lord, and in His Son Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit?
Today, the Church commemorates the core of our Christianity, the Holy Trinity, one of the greatest gifts of our Faith. She teaches that the Trinity is made known to us by God who is revealed to us by name as "Father", "Son", and "Holy Spirit". (CCC 261) God is Triune… Tri meaning three, and une meaning one... three in one substance, equal in majesty. (CCC 254) God is the Father who generates all creation. Our window attempts to reflect this reality in the top left corner, in the fiery image of a deep red sun. God is named Father, the great I AM, and the Lord… our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and end! God is the Son who is begotten by the Father. God gave us his only Son, Jesus, who through the Word, miracles, sacrifice and his resurrection, reveals the Way, the Truth and a Life that is real. Our window attempts to reflect this reality in the image of the cross there in the middle, and the waters of baptism down on the right. God is named Son, Jesus, the Messiah, or Emmanuel, “God with us”, and is the Christ, our King, and our brother! And God is the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son. St. John tells us, that on the cross, Jesus gave up his Spirit; which is the same Spirit revealed at Pentecost, bestowing on us the gifts that empower us to do the will of God the Father, and live a life doing the works of His Son, sharing the fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faith to name a few. Our window attempts to reflect this in the images of the descending doves in a various places. God is named Holy Spirit, and described as the Advocate, or the one who speaks on our behalf, and the Paraclete, defined as one who walks with us as we journey.
Pope Paul VI wrote that it is by the grace of Baptism "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit", that we are called to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity. (cf. Paul VI, CPG § 9) St. Augustine simply said, "If you see charity [or love], you see the Trinity." The best way to know our Triune God is to know Him as he is revealed by name, and reflected through our works of charity. C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, refers to the Trinity within the context of knowing God in a relationship. He offers that when friendship is shared between two people, the initiative to make it work is mutual. Each has their own effort to add that ultimately makes them two independent people connected into one relationship. When a relationship begins to build a family, that is father, mother and then child... Two becomes three, and yet continue to be one family.
So it is fitting, therefore, to pause here and say Happy Father’s Day! A month ago we celebrated our Mom's and all they ways they love us and care for us. I dared to quote Hallmark, finding a card that offered us a prayer, asking the Lord to bless their generous hearts. I believe its only fair that I should take the same risk for our Dads, for today is your day. Today is the day we celebrate you, and the family you've built. Today is the day where you can relax with that world famous Pepper Jack Cheese dip you made up all on your own, and try to sit still for a half hour or more! The Hallmark Card I found for you has a picture of a very trendy Dad on the front, pictured with a very happy, and equally trendy wife and child. It reads: Dad, “You’re a Special Blessing… The love you give to others is a beautiful reflection of the faith you live by every day.” Fathers… May you continue to love, build and nurture your family like Joshua, who also knew the Lord by name, and, as successor to Moses, was the the leader of God’s people as they entered the Promised Land. Joshua lifted up his family, the people of God, proclaiming that. “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
So with C.S. Lewis’ challenge for us to truly know our “Triune God” like we would in our friendships, special relationships, marriages and our families, and St. Augustine's link between seeing and knowing the Trinity in our acts of charity, we once again see our place in the one family that is the Church, for like the card said of our Dad’s, we are all called to give the love that has been given to us, so that it reflects the faith that we live in their everyday lives!
Last week, in our celebration of Pentecost, Fr. Phil offered that the Holy Spirit is as much a part of us as the air we breathe, and Fr. Joy highlighted the Spirit’s call for us to see things differently, and change our perspective. Today, the mystery of the Trinity is both at our core, and calling us to change. Today, this mystery frees us to be ourselves, friends, wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters, mothers and of course, fathers!
Today, the Church calls us to believe in the name of God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. Believe in the name of our one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. Believe in the name of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified! Whatever the word we choose, or the image we attempt to use, we are called to believe in the name of God, because God believes in you! We are called to be in relationship with our Triune God, as the Trinity is Abba - Father, who created us to love and serve Him as a people of love and service! Holy and glorious is His name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages! The Trinity is Jesus who offers us salvation through His Word made flesh, His suffering, His cross, His resurrection, and the Eucharist we share here today! The Trinity is the Holy Spirit which proceeds from the Father and the Son, sending us gifts of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, courage, reverence, right-judgement and the wonder & awe that comes with contemplating this great mystery.
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”
For Father's Day
I miss ya' Pop!
"I got my Dad by my side with me."
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